Mass Shootings Reports
On October 1, 2017 Las Vegas Mass Murder reported 59 killed and 441 wounded.
From October 1, 2017 there were 24 deaths by shooting reported across the US and approximately 93 wounded during those murders.

From November 3 through the 4th there were 2 deaths by shooting across the US reported and approximately 28 wounded.

Let us remember the families and loved ones of those who have died from gun violence. We acknowledge their pain and their deep grief. They too, are part of our community, and need our love and help towards healing.

God of life,
Every act of violence in our world, in our communities, between myself and others, destroys a part of your creation.
Stir in my heart a renewed sense of reverence for all life.
Give me the vision to recognize your spirit in every human being, however they
behave towards me.
Make possible the impossible by cultivating in me the fertile seed of healing
love.

May I play my part in breaking the cycle of violence by realizing that peace
begins with me.

The Fever of the Gun

Hot .. The Fever
Forever Molten..
Forever Voiceless
Just a Weapon
Of the Hopeless.
My Children’s Children’s Children
At the Mercy
And .. The Fever of the Gun.

Comments

There are 30,000 gun related deaths per year by firearms, and this number is not disputed. The U.S. population is 324,059,091 as of June 22, 2016. Do the math: 0.000000925% of the population dies from gun related actions each year. Statistically speaking, this is insignificant! What is never told, however, is a breakdown of those 30,000 deaths, to put them in perspective as compared to other causes of death:
• 65% of those deaths are by suicide, which would never be prevented by gun laws.
• 15% are by law enforcement in the line of duty and justified.
• 17% are through criminal activity, gang and drug related or mentally ill persons – better known as gun violence.
• 3% are accidental discharge deaths.
So technically, “gun violence” is not 30,000 annually, but drops to 5,100. Still too many? Now lets look at how those deaths spanned across the nation.
• 480 homicides (9.4%) were in Chicago
• 344 homicides (6.7%) were in Baltimore
• 333 homicides (6.5%) were in Detroit
• 119 homicides (2.3%) were in Washington D.C. (a 54% increase over prior years)
So basically, 25% of all gun crime happens in just 4 cities. All 4 of those cities have strict gun laws, so it is not the lack of law that is the root cause.
This basically leaves 3,825 for the entire rest of the nation, or about 75 deaths per state. That is an average because some States have much higher rates than others. For example, California had 1,169 and Alabama had 1.
Now, who has the strictest gun laws by far? California, of course, but understand, it is not guns causing this. It is a crime rate spawned by the number of criminal persons residing in those cities and states. So if all cities and states are not created equal, then there must be something other than the tool causing the gun deaths.
Are 5,100 deaths per year horrific? How about in comparison to other deaths? All death is sad and especially so when it is in the commission of a crime but that is the nature of crime. Robbery, death, rape, assault are all done by criminals. It is ludicrous to think that criminals will obey laws. That is why they are called criminals.
But what about other deaths each year?
• 40,000+ die from a drug overdose–THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT!
• 36,000 people die per year from the flu, far exceeding the criminal gun deaths.
• 34,000 people die per year in traffic fatalities(exceeding gun deaths even if you include suicide).
Now it gets good:
• 200,000+ people die each year (and growing) from preventable medical errors. You are safer walking in the worst areas of Chicago than you are when you are in a hospital!
• 710,000 people die per year from heart disease. It’s time to stop the double cheeseburgers! So what is the point? If the liberal loons and the anti-gun movement focused their attention on heart disease, even a 10% decrease in cardiac deaths would save twice the number of lives annually of all gun-related deaths (including suicide, law enforcement, etc.). A 10% reduction in medical errors would be 66% of the total number of gun deaths or 4 times the number of criminal homicides ……………. Simple, easily preventable 10% reductions! So you have to ask yourself, in the grand scheme of things, why the focus on guns? It’s pretty simple:
Taking away guns gives control to governments. The founders of this nation knew that regardless of the form of government, those in power may become corrupt and seek to rule as the British did by trying to disarm the populace of the colonies. It is not difficult to understand that a disarmed populace is a controlled populace.
Thus, the second amendment was proudly and boldly included in the U.S. Constitution. It must be preserved at all costs. So the next time someone tries to tell you that gun control is about saving lives, look at these facts and remember these words from Noah Webster: “Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed.”

I do not believe I mentioned even once taking away Americans guns or any amendments. No this is my afternoon liturgy and reflection. Do you have a reflection on present results from gun violence to share that would be more helpful than merely making the point about protecting folks rights to own guns? Again that “right” does not enter into my prayers-thoughts-poems about what is happening. Peace and Grace

Info

#MoralResistance

Faith and Moral Leaders Prepare for Direct Actions

“We, as people of faith and moral conscience, pledge to support the resistance of laws and policies that threaten the safety of targeted communities. In solidarity with refugees, immigrants, Muslims, black people, and seekers of a more just world, we will join or support those who engage in civil disobedience, whether as protesters, medics, legal observers, witnesses, or care providers.“ #MoralResistance #RevolutionaryLove

Dear Friends,

I just signed the campaign: We Support Civil Disobedience as #MoralResistance.

It would mean the world to me if you could also add your name. Each of us can help build the momentum we need to bring about a more just world.

After you’ve signed the petition please also take a moment to share it with others. It’s super easy – all you need to do is forward this email.

Thank you!

Michael

Pope Francis told the Belgian Catholic weekly “Tertio” that spreading disinformation was “probably the greatest damage that the media can do” and using communications for this rather than to educate the public amounted to a sin.

Using precise psychological terms, he said scandal-mongering media risked falling prey to coprophilia, or arousal from excrement, and consumers of these media risked coprophagia, or eating excrement.

The Argentine-born pontiff excused himself for using such terms in order to get his point across while answering a question about the correct use of the media.

“I think the media have to be very clear, very transparent, and not fall into — no offese intended — the sickness of coprophilia, that is, always wanting to cover scandals, covering nasty things, even if they are true,” he said.

“And since people have a tendency towards the sickness of coprophagia, a lot of damage can be done.”

White Artist Writes ‘Black Lives Matter’ 2,000 Times On Detroit Wall

Artist Renda Writer wrote “Black Lives Matter” about 2,000 times last week on a wall in Detroit, the white text in his handwriting appearing both tiny, streaming over the black background, and huge, shouting its message to anyone who walks by.